More than 20 million Americans are burdened by chronic kidney disease.
AB Wire
Uninhibited intake of acidity medicine could lead to kidney failures, suggest two separate medical studies conducted in the US.
The studies conducted by a team of doctors lead by Indian American doctor Pradeep Arora, MD, from State University of New York, Buffalo, and another team from Johns Hopkins University have revealed that medicines taken for heartburn and acid reflux could lead to increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The prevalence of CKD is on the rise, with more than 20 million Americans burdened by the disease. While diabetes and hypertension are common risk factors for CKD, certain medications meant for digestive disorders can also play a role, said the study.
The latest studies show that an increased use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), medications that treat reflux and stomach ulcers, may be contributing to the CKD epidemic.
“As a large number of patients are being treated with PPIs, health care providers need to be better educated about the potential side effects of these drugs, such as CKD,” said Dr. Arora.
“PPIs are often prescribed outside of their approved uses, and it has been estimated that up to two-thirds of all people on PPIs do not have a verified indication for the drug.”
Benjamin Lazarus of Johns Hopkins University said that in both studies, people who used a different class of medications to suppress stomach acid, known as H2-blockers, did not have a higher risk of developing kidney disease.
“If we know the potential adverse effects of PPI medications we can design better interventions to reduce overuse” Lazarus added.
These studies will be presented at ASN Kidney Week 2015 November 3¬8 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.